Fixture to support articles for application of metallic coating thereto



Apnl 8, 1958 w. A. BILLINGHURST 2,829,621

FIXTURE TO SUPPORT ARTICLES FOR APPLICATION OF METALLIC COATING THERETO Filed Nov. 28, 1956 United States Patent FIXTURE TO SUPPORT ARTICLES FOR APPLICA- TION 0F METALLIC COATING THERETO Wilfred A. Billinghurst, Elizabeth, N. J.

Application November 28, 1956, Serial No. 624,844

8 Claims. (Cl. 118-503) This invention relates generally to an improved fixture for supporting articles in apparatus operative to apply metallic coatings to the articles; and the inveniton has reference, more particularly, to an improved rotatable article supporting fixture or spider which is especially well adapted for use in vacuum metallizers for application of overall metallic coatings to the supported articles.

This invention has for an object to provide an improved article supporting fixture or spider Which is adapted to support a plurality of articles to which overall metallic coatings are desired to be applied, either by a vacuum metallizing process, by electro-plating deposition, by metal spraying, or by other available process; and to provide an article supporting fixture or spider upon which the articles can be easily and quickly loaded and unloaded therefrom; the articles, when loaded upon the fixture or spider, being firmly and securely held thereon against accidental displacement therefrom.

Another object of this invention is to provide an article supporting fixture or spider, for the above stated purposes, which is characterized by the provision of a plurality of radially extending resilient arms, between adjacent arms of which the articles are mounted, and including detachable linkage to so couple one end of an article, that is supported at its opposite end by one arm, to an adjacent arm, that the supporting arm is brought into a COIlClltlOll of tensional stress, the reaction of which stress exerts longitudinal pull upon the article, whereby to hold said article stationary in its relation to the fixture of spider, and securely attached to the latter against accidental displace-- ment therefrom.

A further object of this invention is to provide an article supporting fixture or spider, characterized as above stated, which can be mounted on a driven shaft within a vacuum metallizing apparatus, that is operative to apply to the supported articles a desired overall metallic coating.

The above and other objects will become apparent from a reading of the following detailed description of this invention in connection with the accompanying drawings showing an illustrative embodiment thereof, in which drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an article supporting fixture or spider according to this invention, the attached articles being shown by broken line delineation; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken on line 22 in Fig. l, but drawn on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view, taken on line 3--3 in Fig. 1, and also drawn on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken on line 4-4 in Fig. 1, and likewise drawn on an enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawings, the fixture or spider according to this invention, in an illustrative form thereof as shown, comprises a pair of opposed hub plates and 11. These hub plates are respectively formed to possess inwardly inclined marginal portions 12 and 13 that, when their external peripheries are abutted, by opposed assembly of said hub plates, space apart the main bodies of the latter at a distance approximating the cross-sectional diameters of hereinafter described radial spider arms which are interposed therebetween. .Said inclined marginal portions of the respective hub plates 10 and 11 are each provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced, outwardly open notches 14, the widths of which correspond to the cross-sectional diameters of the hereinafter described radial supporting arms. Spaced inwardly from and in radial alignment with the respective notches 14 of at least one of the hub plates is an annular row of perforations or openings 15, the diameters of which also correspond to the cross-sectional diameters of the hereinafter described radial spider arms.

Supported by and extending outwardly from the assembled hub plates 10 and 11 are a plurality of radial spider arms 16. These arms are formed from somewhat springy metal, or from other equivalent springy material, Each said spider arm is provided at its inner end portion 17 with a right angularly projecting anchoring section 13. The inner end portions 17 of a plurality of the spider arms 16 are entered between the hub plates 10 and 11, with their anchoring sections 18 projected through selected perforations or openings 15 of one of said hub plates, and with said inner end portions 17 extending radially outward to pass through opposed notches 14 of the hub plates, which are radially aligned with the perforations or openings 15 with which said anchoring sections 18 are engaged, whereby to be embraced by said notches 14, and thereby held in rigidly assembled relation to and with the hub plates.

The number and circumferential spacing of the radial supporting arms 16 of the fixture or spider may be so selected and arranged as to accommodate particular sizes of articles to be supported by said fixture or spider. To this end, said radial supporting arms 16 can be engaged with such selected perforations or openings 15 and corresponding notches 14 of the hub plate assembly as will desirably predetermine the number and circumferential Y spacing of the radial supporting arms, by which the fixture or spider is required to be equipped for the support of given sizes and numbers of articles to be mounted thereon.

After the radial supporting arms 16 are assembled be tween the hub plates 10 and 11, the latter are firmly and immovably bound together by suitable fastening means, as e. g. by bolt and nut fasteners 19 engaged therethrough as shown. When the hub plates are so bound together, inner end portions 17 of the radial supporting arms 16 will be rigidly secured thereto in outward extension therefrom.

The free end portion of each radial supporting arm is suitably shaped to engage the rearward end of an article to be carried thereby, and disconnectable linkage is provided to couple the opposite or forward end of said article to the next forwardly adjacent radial supporting arm, whereby to support the article between adjacent radial supporting arms. To provide this linkage, an inwardly open anchoring hook 20 is affixed to the rearward side of each supporting arm 16, as by welding the same thereto or otherwise, so that the same is opposed to a rearwardly adjacent supporting arm by which an article is carried. A coupling link 21 is provided, having attachment means at its outer end appropriately formed to engage the forward end of said article. Said coupling link is provided at its inner end with a coupling book 22 which is adapted to be detachably engaged with the anchoring hook 20 of a forwardly adjacent supporting arm 16.

The articles to be supported by the fixture or spider, for submission to a metal coating process, may be of various kinds and shapes. By way of example, the articles shown in the drawings comprise statuettes 23 in the likeness of a horse, each being so formed as to possess an outwardly open socket or bore 24 in the tail portion thereof, and an opening 25 across the mouth of the head portion thereof. To accommodate such or similar forms of articles, the free end portion 26 of each radial supporting arm 16 is bent to extend angularly forward from the main body of the supporting arm, and is shaped to possess a laterally offset portion 27, so that the overall width of said end portion 26 approximates the width or cross-sectional diameter of a socket or bore 24 in the tail portion of a statuette 23.

To mount a statuette 23 on a radial supporting arm 16, the free end portion 26 of the latter is inserted in the socket or bore 24 in the tail portion of the statuette; the angle of said free end portion being so predetermined as to dispose the statuette engaged thereby in extension toward the next forwardly adjacent supporting arm 16. This having been done, an attachment means with which the outer end of a coupling link 21 is provided, and which for engagement with the exemplifying statuette comprises a coupling bar 28 disposed to project angularly transverse to the coupling link 21, is engaged through the opening 25 of the statuette head portion. pling link 2i having been thus attached to the statnette, the forward end of the latter is pressed inwardly until the coupling hook 22 of the link 21 is coupled to the anchoring hook 20 of the next forward supporting arm 16. Such operation exerts pull upon the rearward supporting arm in the direction of the arrow y (see Fig. 1), thereby subjecting said latter arm to tensional stress which reacts in the direction of the arrow at (see Fig. 1), whereby to effect longitudinal pull upon the statuette, and

thus to firmly but releasably hold the latter in attached relation to the fixture or spider, and securely against accidental displacement therefrom.

The fixture or spider of this invention is especially well adapted for use in vacuum metallizing apparatus (not shown) as a shaft driven revolving fixture designed for use in overall coating of articles. Such revolving fixtures are ordinarily mounted on a suitable frame which rolls into place within the vacuum chamber of the apparatus. When outside the chamber, the frame is mounted on a dolly, and can be rotated manually to the most convenient position for loading articles onto the fixture or unloading the same therefrom. When the frame is introduced into the vacuum chamber of the apparatus, and said chamber is sealed and vacuumized, the fixture rotating shafts are automatically clutched to driving transmission by which rotary motion is imparted to the fixtures as the vacuum metallizing process is carried on in the sealed and vacuumized chamber. Such vacuum metallizing apparatus and the coating process performed thereby is now well known to the art.

When the fixture or spider of the present invention is to be used in vacuum metallizing apparatus above referrerd to, the hub plates 10 and 11 are provided with central openings 29 to receive a shaft 30 upon which the article loaded fixture or spider is to be rotated; suitable means being provided for affixing the fixture or spider to the shaft, such e. g. as a key 31. Ordinarily a plurality of the fixtures or spiders are mounted upon a common driving shaft 30, and are spaced apart one from another on said shaft by interposed spacer sleeves 32 of suitable length to assure the separation of articles carried by one fixture or spider from those carried by adjacent fixtures or spiders.

Although the fixture or spider of the present invention is especially well adapted for use in apparatus for effecting a vacuum metallizing process, the same can be used, when the articles supported thereby can be given electrical polarity, to hang the articles in an electroplating bath. In such case the fixture or spider constructed of all metallic and therefore of electrically conductive ma- 4 terial, and said fixture or spider, when loaded with articles to be plated, can be hung from the cathode of an electro-plating apparatus by any suitable electrically conductive hanger means.

The fixture or spider of the present invention may also be used to suspend a plurality of articles in a spraying cabinet for reception of sprayed on coatings of either metal or other coating material.

Having now described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A fixture for supporting a plurality of articles subject to application of coating material thereto comprising a hub structure, a plurality of equi-spaced resilient article supporting arms extending radially from the hub structure, said hub structure and supporting arms having cooperative means for rigidly securing inner end por- Lions of the latter to the former, the free end of each supporting arm having means to engage one end of an article in supporting relation thereto for extension thereof toward the next forwardly adjacent supporting arm, a link having means to detachably engage the opposite end of said article and said forwardly adjacent supporting arm, and each of said supporting arms having cooperative means to releasably couple said link and said forwardly adjacent supporting arm in connected operative relation, whereby, when so coupled, the article supporting arm is subjected to tensional stress adapted by its reaction to exert draft upon the article, and thus firmly hold said article against accidental displacement from the fixture.

2. A fixture according to claim 1 wherein the hub structure is provided with a central opening to receive a shaft by which the fixture with the articles supported thereby can be rotated in use.

3. A fixture for supporting a plurality of articles subject to application of coating material thereto comprising a hub structure formed by a pair of substantially concavo-convex hub plates relatively disposed with their concave faces opposed, a plurality of equi-spaced resilient article supporting arms having inner end portions disposed between said hub plates, said hub plates having supporting arm embracing notches indenting their marginal edge portions, the inner ends of the supporting arms having angular anchoring sections, at least one of the hub plates having openings inwardly spaced from and radially aligned with its marginal notches to receive said anchoring sections of the supporting arms, fastening means to secure the hub plates together in rigid holding relation to the supporting arms assembled therewith, the free end of each supporting arm having means to engage one end of an article in supporting relation thereto, a link having means to detachably engage the opposite end of said article and an adjacent supporting arm, and each of said supporting arms having cooperative means to releasably couple said link and an adjacent supporting arm in connected operative relation, whereby, when so coupled, the article supporting arm is subjected to tensional stress adapted by its reaction toexert draft upon the article, and thus firmly hold said article against accidental displacement from the fixture.

4. A fixture according to claim 3 wherein the hub plates of the hub structure are provided with central openings to receive a shaft by which the fixture with the articles supported thereby can be rotated in use.

5. A fixture for supporting a plurality of articles subject to application of coating material thereto comprising a hub structure, a plurality of equi-spaced resilient article supporting arms extending radially from the hub structure, the free ends of said supporting arms having means to engage rearward ends of articles for respective extension thereof toward next forwardly adjacent supporting arms,

anchoring hooks respectively atfixed to rearward sides of respective supporting arms, links having means at their inner ends to be releasably engaged with respective anchoring hooks, and said links having means at their outer ends to detachably engage forward ends of respective articles, said links when coupled to and between the articles and anchoring hooks being adapted to subject the supporting arms to tensicnal stress reaction of which exerts draft upon the supported articles, whereby to firmly hold the latter against accidental displacement from supported extension between adjacent supporting arms.

6. A fixture according to claim 5 wherein the hub structure is provided with a central opening to receive a shaft by which the fixture with the articles supported thereby can be rotated in use.

7. A fixture according to claim 5 wherein the hub structure comprises a pair of substantially concave-convex hub plates relatively disposed with their concave faces opposed, the article supporting arms having inner end portions entered between said hub plates, the opposed marginal edge portions of said hub plates being provided b with indenting notches to embrace said intervening inner end portions of the supporting arms, said inner end portions of the supporting arms terminating in :angularly ex tending anchoring sections, at least one of said hub plates having openings inwardly spaced from and radially aligned with its marginal notches to receive said anchoring sections, and fastening means to bind said hub plates together in rigid clamping and holding relation to the supporting arms interposed therebetween.

8. A fixture according to claim 7 wherein the hub plates of the hub structure are provided with central openings to receive a shaft by which the fixture with the articles supported thereby can be rotated in use.

No references cited. 

